What To Do When Your Boss Is Half Demon
by SynethesiaTastesGrey
Summary: The story of how Liam the war mage from CtD ended up owing Pritkin his life. Rated M for language and violence. No smut, purely friendship, buddy/buddy.
1. Why The Hell Wasn't I Informed?

When the colonel called him to the command centre, Liam Hayes was exhausted. He'd been awake for 24 hours, running around like a lunatic trying to deal with the sheer volume of paperwork generated by a unit without a commander, in between handling the usual crises that life throws at you for fun. Consequentially he wasn't in a good mood. When the voice on the tannoy droned his name, he clenched his teeth and strode back towards the room he'd left less than 10 minutes ago, then under the happy impression that he was about to go home.

When he stalked in, Colonel Floyd was there along with 2 other officers and a man Liam didn't recognise. Floyd nodded as he entered.

"Ah, Lieutenant Hayes!"

He turned to the stranger who was leaning casually against a desk with his hands in his pockets. "This is your junior officer, Commander, Lieutenant Liam Hayes." He turned back to Liam. "This is Commander John Pritkin. He's just transferred from Stratford. He's taking charge of the Demon Strike Unit, as from Monday."

"He's what?!" Liam blurted. Everyone stared, but he charged on, sleep deprivation fueling his temper. "Why wasn't I informed of this?!"

Colonel Floyd treated him to a long, cold stare. "Given how much you've complained about having to run the unit since Commander Adler's death, one would think a little gratitude is in order," he hissed. "Commander Pritkin only just applied for a transfer. Seeing as this position is so suited to him, not to mention in desparate need of filling, we moved him quicker than is normal. And furthermore, Lieutenant, in the future, you have a good bloody think about who you're talking to before you open your mouth in my presence!!"

Liam cringed mentally, his brain finally catching up with his mouth. "Sorry, Colonel," he muttered.

Floyd stared at him a little longer, and then his temper drained away. The old man was touchy, but at least he didn't hold a grudge. "Very well. As I was saying, this is Commander Pritkin. I expect you to show him how where he'll be working and explain how we run things in the D.S.U."

The new commander spoke for the first time. "With respect, Colonel, I know what I'm doing. I worked in the first D.S.U. in Stratford." There was an edge in his voice and Liam frowned. The first D.S.U.? How long had this guy been around, he wondered.

Colonel Floyd scowled. "This is America. We don't always do things the Stratford way."

Commander Pritkin sneered, adequately expressing his opinion for the American way and stood. "Alright, _Left_enant," he said, deliberately stressing the English pronunciation and irritating Liam. "Come and show me where I'll be working then." He walked away, without being dismissed, leaving Colonel Floyd purple with rage and yet uncharacteristically silent. Liam glanced between the two in confusion and then trotted after the departing commander.

He caught up with him as he left the room and signalled to the right. "The D.S.U.'s this way, sir." Pritkin just nodded and followed him. As they walked, Liam shot him a sidelong glance. His new commander was a pretty odd looking guy. He was short with blond hair that looked as though he'd just stuck his finger in a socket. This impression was increased by his green eyes which seemed to burn with intensity.

"So," said Liam conversationally, "Why did you decide to transfer?"

Pritkin just shrugged and when Liam continued to look at him expectantly he sighed. "I've worked in Stratford for a long time. I felt like a change."

"Yeah? How long?"

Pritkin was silent again. It was dawning on Liam that his new boss was a prick. When he finally answered, he acted like he was doing him a favour just by speaking. "About 50 years."

Liam did a double take, sure he'd misheard, but Pritkin just strode confidently along the halls, like he'd worked there his whole life. He paused at a junction. "D.S.U.'s this way, right?" Liam nodded. He suddenly realised that Pritkin was making a point - ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer. But what really pissed him off was that it hadn't been a stupid question, merely a polite one. "What a wanker," he breathed and Pritkin paused and looked at him. Liam gazed back as innocently as he could (which, to be fair wasn't much. It's hard to look innocent when you're carrying enough fire power to take on an armoured elephant) and Pritkin smiled. Liam was unpleasantly reminded of a shark. The commander turned and walked off, leaving Liam to wonder how he'd heard him.

He couldn't see any hearing ward tatooes, and could sense no charms. Bemused and more than a little pissed off, he hurried after Pritkin.


	2. He's WHAT!

**A/N** Just want to apologise for the very long delay in updating, which unfortunately can only be attributed to sheer laziness.

**Disclaimer** Sadly, I don't own this.

* * *

When Liam came back to work the next day after 8 solid hours of sleep, he felt a lot more human. It didn't hurt that his best friend handed him a cup of coffee the moment he walked out of the elevator. He drank it all without pausing for breath, scalding himself from his throat to his stomach, but it woke him up at least. He crumpled the mug and handed it back to Kay, who raised her eyebrows.

"Do I look like a trash can to you?"

Liam just grinned and she scowled. "Don't answer that question. You look like hell. Bad night?"

He groaned. "Oh, you have no idea. Commander Adler's replacement showed up, and he's the crankiest prick I've ever met, I had to follow him around for half the night, trying to find files and forms and all the assassination reports for the last two years. And he wants a new filing system!"

Kay sighed. "He sounds likes a charmer. What's his name?"

"John Pritkin."

She paused, frowning. "Is he from here?"

"Nope. He's from Stratford."

Kay wound a strand of curly, red hair 'round her finger. "That's weird. God, Pritkin. That sounds really familiar. Where the Hell have I heard that name?"

"Fucked if I know," said Liam brusquely, and groaned as the tannoy droned his name yet again. "Well, shit, that'll be him. Look, I gotta go. I'll catch you later." He strode off and Kay waved vaguely to him, as she headed in the direction of her office.

Liam spent the better part of the day being run off his feet as the new commander demanded every tiny piece of information that the DSU had compiled over the last 10 years. He sneered at reports of successful missions and failures alike, sent every Apprentice he saw to get him coffee, and then to cap it all, he insisted on fitness evaluations for all the members of the DSU.

Liam took a savage pleasure in pointing out that in the American branch, superior officers could only call for fitness testing if they took part as well. He regretted that when the bastard outdid everyone in almost every form of endurance and reflex test there was. By the end of the day, most of the DSU was out of breath and dripping with sweat. Commander Pritkin, on the other hand, was in the best mood Liam had seen him in yet. He dismissed them almost cheerfully and strode out, leaving his exhausted command to hobble painfully to the showers.

Liam showered in the changing rooms and was rooting in his locker for a change of clothes when Kay burst in. There were cries of protest, as men in various stages of undress dived for the protection of towels. Kay snorted contemptuously.

"Nothing I haven't seen before," she told the room in general and turned to Liam. "Guess what?"

"You're a perverted stalker with no respect for people's privacy?"

Kay rolled her eyes. "Apart from that!"

Liam sighed in exasperation. "I dunno, Kay, can't this wait til I'm dressed?" She just stood there, her eyes big and pleading and Liam groaned.

"Fine, just tell me."

She leaned forward conspiratorially. "Remember how I said the new commander's name was familiar?" Liam nodded. "Well, I just did a little googling and, it turns out, he's not just any old war mage. _He's a half-blood!"_

"He's _WHAT?"_ Everyone turned to stare at them and Liam lowered his voice. "What?" he repeated in a whisper.

"I checked his record. He joined the Corps, like, 50 years ago, only not officially. His father was a demon and no one knows who or what kind of demon it was, so the Circle wouldn't let him become a proper member, he doesn't even have a tat!" Kay's words spilled out in an effervescent rush.

"Whoa, slow down." Liam looked at her seriously. "He has demon blood, and they made him the commander of a DSU? Are they insane?"

"They'd have to be!" someone blurted from behind them. Liam glanced around and realised half the room was eavesdropping on their conversation.

"The new commander's a half-blood," repeated Dean Wilder, a recent addition to the DSU. "This – this is ridiculous! The guy's a monster!" There was an outcry of angry agreement, and Kay's cheeks started to redden.

"That _monster _has killed over 1000 demons since he joined the DSU. And he didn't just join it. He created it! Just because his father was evil, doesn't mean he is!" she snapped.

The mages looked at her, some nodding in agreement, some shaking their heads and some actually snarling with rage. One of these, Howie Wellman, was turning an alarming shade of purple. Liam remembered that his 17 year old son had been drained by a succubus. No wonder he was furious. He had every right to be.

"Kay," he murmured. "I think maybe you should give it a chance to sink in before you start haranguing people." She stared at him for a moment, a muscle trembled in her neck, then whirled around and stalked out, her fists balled at her sides.

Howie was pacing and muttering under his breath. "This has gotta be some sort of sick joke," he hissed. "A half-blood? Here, of all places? We oughtta lynch the piece of shit!"

"Wellman, calm down!" That was Caleb, of course, his deep rumbling voice booming over the outraged chatter. "I think if a guy's killed a thousand of the bastards, he hates them as much as we do. The Circle wouldn't have given him the job if they thought he couldn't do it!"

Gradually the crowd dispersed, still mumbling angrily, leaving Liam and Caleb alone. Liam sat down and began putting on his boots, watching as the massive mage strapped on an arsenal of weapons. After a few moments, he turned and folded his arms aggressively across his chest.

"You gotta problem, Hayes?" Liam hesitated, and the question rushed out of his mouth before he could stop it.

"How can you be ok with this, man? Our new commander, the guy who's supposed to be leading us against the demons, was practically spat out by Hell himself!"

Caleb said nothing, but his mouth twisted and his massive muscles went rigid.

"How many people have we lost, Caleb? How many of our buddies need to die to show you there's no such thing as a good demon?"

"He's a half-blood! His mother was human! Why would he spend his life in the Corps if he was just another evil motherfucker looking for an innocent life to drain?"

Liam leapt to his feet. "How can anyone be good with something like that in their veins?" he shouted.

"Why can't you see that this could be such an advantage to us? Someone who knows demons and their power, from the inside, who can think like them, predict their next move, working with us? This could help us! _He _could help us!"

Liam shook his head in disgust. "I'm not serving under that thing!"

Caleb sneered. "Well, if you're such a fucking big man, why don't you go and tell him that. Oh, and while you're at it, you might as well hand in your resignation to Floyd, 'cause you keep this up and you're gonna find yourself out on your ass!"

"You're just afraid of him," Liam spat, and headed for the door, only to feel a huge hand descend on his shoulder.

"You watch your fucking mouth," whispered Caleb, his gravelly voice reminiscent of bones crunching. "Or I swear to God, I'll end you. You'll be a goddamned grease stain on the floor when I'm done with you." He shoved Liam away, and stalked out, leaving him to fume impotently.

He stormed towards Kay's office, meaning to demand an explanation, but the tannoy accosted him once again. Practically spitting with rage, he strode to the command centre for what felt like the millionth time that day and burst in the door.

Commander Pritkin was contemplating a map of America. There were shimmering lines conjured all over it, marking various sites and linking them. Some of the lines were in different colours, making odd patterns.

"What?" Liam demanded harshly and Pritkin glanced at him absent mindedly. "There you are. Listen, I need you to get me any reports to do with ghoul activity in the North west in the last 12 months."

"Really? I would have thought you'd be the last person to need information on demon activity," Liam sneered. Pritkin's shoulders tensed and he turned slowly. His expression was hawk like, and his eyes burned. Liam had to make a conscious effort not to take a step back.

Pritkin advanced slowly. "I don't know what your problem is, Hayes, and to be honest, I couldn't give a fuck. Because, like it or not, I'm in charge now. So why don't you go get me those statistics, and while you're at it, give some thought to alternate career options. Because if you if you keep throwing tantrums, you're not gonna be in the Corps much longer."

Liam stared at him. He was so angry he couldn't even speak, couldn't get the words out. He spluttered incoherently and Pritkin grabbed a fistful of his shirt and yanked him down so they were nose to nose. "Why are you still here?" he grated and let go, giving him a shove. Liam staggered backward, and Pritkin shot him a disgusted look.

"Get out of here," he snapped and turned back to the map. Liam stormed out, his blood boiling. He sent the first trainee he saw off on Pritkin's errand and prowled restlessly through the halls. It was late and they were mostly empty. He could find no one to vent his spleen on, and his usual response to stress – working out - wasn't really viable with muscles that felt like strings of over stretched elastic.

In the end, he gave up and headed for the ley line hall, the best place to enter the line for easy travel. The queues were quite short. Most people had already gone home. Liam followed suit, and hit the sack the minute he got in the door, but sleep escaped him. The slightest noises, the flickering lights of traffic passing by, the heat of his stuffy bedroom, the draft when he opened a window – everything agitated him. He couldn't help but replay his argument with the commander over and over again in his head. He finally fell asleep, murmuring the things he should have said under his breath.


End file.
